DIRECT TO HOME: A postman showing the range of stamps available for sale at a house in Coimbatore.  Photo: K. Ananthan

COIMBATORE:
Communication has advanced so much so that walking down to drop a letter in the post box is a memory for many.

And for the older generation, especially those who are not familiar with modern technology such as e-mail, handwritten letters are still the only means of communicating with relatives and friends.

India Post's new customer-friendly initiative benefits this segment most. Now, the postman not only delivers mail at the doorstep but also collects letters, including registered post, and sells stamps.

Postmen now carry pouches containing stamps of various denominations and covers. They also have receipt books to collect registered post and Speed Post.

The service, launched in Chennai in July, was introduced in the western region (Coimbatore, Erode, Salem, Namakkal, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and the Nilgiris districts and part of Tiruvannamalai and Vellore districts) in August.

The response has been encouraging. On an average, 500 letters were collected from the customers' doorstep in Salem district last month, says V. Rajarajan, Director, Postal Services, Western Region.

This service especially benefits the elderly, the disabled and companies that want to despatch bulk mail, he points out.